Suboxone is a prescription medication. It is made from combining buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone is often utilized when men and women are trying to quit their use of opioids. It helps with treating the withdrawal symptoms. The combination of buprenorphine and naloxone significantly decreases psychological cravings. This makes quitting much easier.
Addictive
Suboxone can be addictive. This happens when it is taken for an extended period. It can also happen if it is taken in ways other than how it is prescribed. People do enter detox programs suffering from a pre-existing Suboxone abuse disorder. They can slowly taper off their use of this drug and avoid complications.
Challenges
There are some common complaints people have when they are trying to taper off of Suboxone.
- Insomnia – People are not able to sleep longer than a few hours each night. This will make their other symptoms even worse.
- Exhaustion – People have no energy to perform their important responsibilities such as working, taking care of children, and more.
- Anhedonia – People are no longer able to enjoy the things in life that previously brought them pleasure. This is sometimes referred to as pleasure deafness.
Develop A Strategy
One of the most important steps to tapering off Suboxone is to develop a strategic Suboxone schedule. Tapering off will involve systematically decreasing the amount of Suboxone taken at predetermined intervals. People prefer tapering off of Suboxone to quitting cold turkey. This method is much less of a shock to a person’s brain chemistry and decreases the chances of experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Tapering Off Suboxone
To successfully taper off Suboxone, a person needs to commit to it. They will need to commit themselves to a goal. People could fail, but they must keep going and learn from their mistakes. Suboxone withdrawal symptoms can be avoided by tapering off slowly under the supervision of a physician. This could be achieved within two weeks or longer depending on how long Suboxone was abused and at what dosage.
Schedule
This is how a tapering schedule would work for someone taking different dosage amounts of Suboxone.
- 16 mg – Decrease dose by 4 mg every 1 to 2 weeks.
- 8 mg – Decrease dose by 2 mg every 1 to 2 weeks.
- Under 8 mg – Decrease dose by 2 mg every 1 to 2 weeks.
Brain
It is important for someone trying to taper off Suboxone to learn how it can cause the brain to be deficient. This will help them understand the challenges associated with quitting Suboxone. A brain has two primary disruptions in the body with the continued use of Suboxone. They are endorphin deficiency and dopamine deficiency. Dopamine and endorphins are neurotransmitters. This is how the brain tells a person’s lungs to breath, stomach to digest as well as heart to breath, and more. Suboxone can disrupt a person’s body chemistry and cause it to be out of balance. It can provide negative consequences for a person’s weight, concentration, mood, sleep, and more.
Nutrition
This is an essential part of tapering off Suboxone. It is common for a person to turn to an addictive substance if their diet is not providing them with all the nutrients they need to be healthy. This will result in a person having health problems. A lack of proper nutrition can result in experiencing brain chemistry disruptions leading to depression, anxiety, and other types of mental issues. To successfully taper off Suboxone, a person will need to take nutritional supplements to help avoid symptoms.
Exercise
It is recommended that people can have an easier time with tapering off Suboxone if they incorporate exercise into their daily routine. It is an effective way to have a person’s body operate at its best possible level. Regular exercising will stimulate a person’s endogenous opioid system and help them to get off of Suboxone.
Mindfulness
A person needs to control their emotional patterns. Being able to manage emotions is a skill that helps when trying to taper off of Suboxone. When a person changes their focus to positive things, it can change their life. Turning negative thoughts around always helps. People need to work on being in the present moment and acknowledging their thoughts and emotions.
Tapering off of Suboxone can be done with minimal or no withdrawal symptoms. This makes it possible for a person to have enough space to change their life. It will be a time when they can be responsible for changing their behavior, how they live, think, and more. Do you or a loved one need help with tapering off of Suboxone or have an addiction issue? Call us today at 123-456-7890. We are ready to speak with you 24 hours a day. Call 833-364-0736.